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This is the time of year when parts of my garden surprise me. It's as if I don't really see what's there until some of the surrounding greenery fades. Leaves fall and cover the ground in browns, and then suddenly I have something wonderful here.

Of course your opinion may vary, but I like it!

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Without bamboo, my garden would be dreary for six months of the year. I suppose I might plant a lot more conifers...

...but bamboo does so nicely! (and grows so much faster!)

This is the area at the back of the yard -- the pond is between the leftmost green bamboo and the larger bamboos in the distance. Here you can see how different bamboo types can cooperate -- that's Sasaella bitchuensis on the left, a bit of Shibatea kumasaca, then the variegated Hibanobambusa tranquillans 'Shiroshima', and finally Indocalamus sp. 'Solidus' on the right. The little wisps of blue foliage in the foreground is from a Buddleja, and the red leaves are from a native dogwood.

Speaking of buddleja...

...yes, it's the end of November and there are blooms! Nothing here to take advantage of them, but they're here. The frustrating thing is the deer seem to chomp this one down during the spring and summer, so it really only gets going late in the year.

Another surprise:

A Rudbeckia triloba bloom! Two of them actually. What the heck?

This is more what I expect at this time of year:

The coral bark maple that I have not yet put into the ground. So vibrant right now -- late again it seems.

Backing up a bit to get this into perspective...

...you can see how much it glows compared to the bamboo. So nice!

Backing up a bit more, just a touch of the other potted Acer:

Why can't these both change at the same time? The red one drops its leaves too soon!

The color doesn't last, but the green of the bamboos does!

How great is that combo? The Indocalamus sp. 'Solidus' from the earlier shots on the left, and Fargesia 'Rufa' on the right. That plant is looking so good -- about time, as it's taken at least five years to get to this stage.

Now I'm having some second thoughts about building my shed back here, as it will block the view of this beauty. Hmmm...